Innovation with Mark Peter Davis

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Welcome to Innovation with Mark Peter Davis, a podcast dedicated to innovation, truth, and education. Through fireside chats with entrepreneurs, industry leading executives, and creative minded business folk, I'll highlight the society altering transformations that are happening all around us while providing crucial entrepreneurial advice. Pickup tips from founders who sold their company for hundreds of millions of dollars. Discover how everyday materials and goods are being reinvented by science. Learn about the current state of space exploration and the space industry from the CEO of a rocket company. Join him on this expedition to learn about the innovations that are changing our world and the way we exist. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Medium.

  1. 1D AGO

    Saving Healthcare: How Meroka Is Empowering Doctors To Stay Independent

    Why is U.S. healthcare so broken? If you're not sure why it’s so expensive or dysfunctional, this week’s podcast may illuminate the answers for you. I sat down with Alex Barrett, Cofounder & CEO of Meroka, who's tackling one of the root problems: Consolidation that strips doctors of autonomyMisaligned incentives across the systemOutdated models that sacrifice care for throughput 70% of doctors now work for big systems but Alex is charting a new path by giving independent practices scale, liquidity, and ownership without the need to sell out. Special thanks to Alex for joining the pod - this is one of the smartest takes I’ve heard on how to fix healthcare from the inside. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Welcome & Guest Intro 01:20 – What is Meroka? 03:30 – Why Independence Matters in Healthcare 05:30 – The Trade-Off Between Scale & Patient Experience 07:20 – Breaking Down Reimbursement Rates 10:30 – Why Scale Has Meant Consolidation—Until Now 14:50 – How Independent Practices Survive 17:00 – The Myth That Doctors Are Bad at Business 20:30 – Meroka’s Employee Ownership Model 23:50 – Comparing to Private Equity Models 26:00 – The Future of Healthcare as a Real Market 28:30 – Final Thoughts & Gratitude Links: Alex Barrett: LinkedInMeroka: Website, LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    29 min

  2. JAN 29

    The Power of Suggestion: Inside the Psychology of High-Stakes Selling

    This conversation blew me away. I sat down with Lydia Fenet, an auctioneer who’s raised over a billion dollars, and what started as a chat about charity auctions quickly turned into one of the most insightful masterclasses on sales, persuasion, and audience psychology I’ve ever heard. Lydia isn’t just good on stage, she’s world-class at reading people, building trust instantly, and closing with confidence. What’s wild is how much of what she does applies directly to startup life: pitching investors, closing enterprise deals, selling your vision. If you’re a founder, operator, or anyone in business, this episode is packed with tactics that’ll shift how you think about selling anything to anyone. ⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro: Why Auctioneering Matters To Entrepreneurs 01:15 – Lydia’s Unconventional Path Into Auctioneering 04:00 – The High-Stakes World Of Charity Auctions 06:15 – Launching The First Auctioneer Talent Agency 08:00 – What Makes A Great Charity Auctioneer? 11:00 – Sales Psychology On Stage 13:45 – Audience Dynamics And Identifying Your “Auction Foil” 17:30 – Anchoring Luxury With Impact: Values-Based Selling 20:00 – The Power Of The Underbidder 22:00 – Auction Tactics That Apply To Enterprise Sales 25:00 – Selling With Empathy, Not A Script 27:30 – The Power Of Suggestion And Painting The Picture 31:00 – Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaways Links: Lyndia Fenet: Website, LinkedInBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): The Most Powerful Woman in the Room Is You: Command an Audience and Sell Your Way to SuccessBook (Written by Lyndia Fenet): Claim Your Confidence: Unlock Your Superpower and Create the Life You WantInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    32 min

  3. JAN 15

    The Gold Standard for Seed VC: Inside Primary

    Brad Svrluga has been a mentor and a close friend of mine for years. Watching him build Primary - one of the most respected firms in the industry - has been a masterclass in itself, so sitting down with him for this episode was a highlight I've been looking forward to and a great way to kick off the year. We went deep on an often overlooked topic in VC: How do you actually scale a firm's infrastructure? Whether you're a GP or a founder, Brad’s perspective on building a modern, institutional-grade firm is unmatched. ⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro & Brad's Background 01:00 – What Primary Ventures Does Differently 03:20 – Incubation and Building Companies from Scratch 05:00 – Why Founders Pick Primary 07:00 – Inside the Operational Support Team 09:00 – Is There a Downside to Scaling a VC Firm? 10:30 – Culture and Structure at Primary 12:15 – Aligning Operational Teams with MOIC Goals 14:00 – Ben & Brad: cofounder Dynamics 17:30 – Why Brad Became a VC 21:00 – The Challenge of Scaling Venture Itself 24:00 – The Downfall of Venture Networks 26:00 – Scaling with Specialized Partners 30:00 – Rebranding and Starting Primary 31:30 – Advice for Emerging VCs: Sourcing, Picking, and LPs 38:50 – Wrap-Up and Reflections Links: Brad Svrluga: LinkedInPrimary: Website, LinkedInInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    39 min

  4. 12/16/2025

    2026 Predictions Episode

    Our 2026 predictions are in. From IPOs to AI to robots - check out what we think is actually coming in 2026. To wrap up 2025, I regroup with Mike and Phuong for our annual end-of-year episode, where we look back at last year's predictions (they passed with flying colors) and set our sights on what’s ahead. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the topics covered: ✅ AI’s real impact on blue and white collar jobs. 📈 The slow thaw of the IPO market. 💸 The maturing of venture capital into a robust capital market ecosystem. 🤖 Why humanoid robots might finally enter the chat. 🚀 How seed-stage startups have fundamentally changed - and what will make or break them next year. If you're a founder, investor, or just trying to stay ahead of the curve, this one’s packed with insight. 🎧 Listen & let us know what YOU think is coming in 2026? Drop your predictions in the comments. 👇 ⏱ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro: 2025 Recap & Predictions for 2026 01:00 – Michael’s 2025 Prediction Scorecard: AI, Jobs & Valuations 06:30 – IPO Market Outlook & The Tale of Two Venture Markets 12:00 – AI Foundational Models vs. Application Layer 16:45 – 2026 Exit Landscape & The Rise of Secondaries 21:00 – Will Big Tech Pull Back from the Application Layer? 25:00 – AI Enterprise Adoption & Salesforce’s Big Bet 28:00 – The Robotics Curve: Consumer vs. Construction Use Cases 33:00 – Phuong’s 2025 Prediction Debrief: Tariffs & CX 38:00 – AI at Home? Why Consumers Aren’t Adopting (Yet) 41:00 – How Seed-Stage Startups Have Changed in 2025 46:00 – Labor Mismatch & The Talent Problem in AI Startups 49:00 – Who Wins in 2026: Full Workflow Automation 52:00 – Who Loses: Commoditized Content, Support & Legal Tools 55:00 – The Real Risk: Obsolescence & Distribution Moats 57:00 – Wrap Up & 2026 Outlook Links: Book: AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World OrderBook: The Lean StartupBook: The Power Law: Venture Capital and the Art of DisruptionInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterMPD: LinkedIn, TwitterMichael Rogers: LinkedIn, TwitterPhuong Ireland: LinkedIn, Twitter

    58 min

  5. 11/19/2025

    ROI Driven Philanthropy with Mark Gerson

    What if you approached philanthropy like a startup? The results might shock you and completely rewire how you think about giving. I sit down with Mark Gerson, Cofounder of GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group) and Cofounder and Chair of 3i Members, to dive deep into how you can treat generosity like a capital allocation decision. We unpack a framework for ROI-driven giving that prioritizes measurable impact over emotional check-writing. Whether you give already or you’re just starting to think about it, this is a practical, purpose-driven guide to doing the most good in a faster and smarter way Special thanks to Mark for joining me on the pod and for all the amazing work he does. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Introduction to Mark Gerson & GLG Origins 02:45 – The Accidental Start of a $650M Business 06:00 – Lessons in Entrepreneurship from GLG’s Growth 08:50 – Why Business Advice is Often Useless 09:30 – The Life-Saving Problem in Global Emergency Response 11:00 – United Hatzalah: Crowdsourcing First Response in Israel 13:30 – Politics, Union Challenges & US Expansion 15:00 – How an Orange Jacket Saves Lives 16:45 – ROI-Driven Philanthropy: Measuring Cost per Life Saved 18:30 – African Mission Healthcare: Saving Lives with $350 C-Sections 21:00 – Partnering with Christian Missionary Doctors 25:00 – Effective Philanthropy vs. Emotional or Prestige Giving 29:00 – The True Definition of Charity & ROI vs. Emotion 32:30 – When and How Much Should You Give? 36:00 – Why Giving Never Makes You Poor 37:45 – Books, Content & Torah as Self-Help 40:00 – 3i: A Crowdsourced Investment + Community Platform 43:00 – How Business & Charity Reinforce Each Other Links Mark Gerson 3i Members, United Hatzalah of Israel, African Mission Healthcare, GLG, Twitter, LinkedInBooks: God Was Right: How Modern Social Science Proves the Torah Is True, The Telling: How Judaism’s Essential Book Reveals the Meaning of LifeMPD: LinkedIn, TwitterInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, Twitter

    46 min

  6. 10/23/2025

    Building Ethical Businesses and Raising Conscious Leaders

    Beneath the surface of many everyday products lies a complex web of ethical dilemmas. In this powerful conversation, entrepreneur and investor Ryan Ansin peels back the curtain on global supply chains and the moral questions behind them. From chocolate and diamonds to blockchain transparency, he shares what ethical manufacturing really entails and how even simple choices carry weight. The episode also explores how to raise grounded children, the role of impact investing, and why major corporations must evolve for real change to happen. This discussion challenges the idea you to think about ethics, offering a roadmap for aligning values with action across business, family, and capital. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Introduction: Meet Ryan Ansin 01:00 – Defining Ethical Manufacturing 03:20 – Chocolate & Child Labor: A Case Study 06:00 – Diamonds, Supply Chains & Transparency 09:00 – Who Really Drives Change: Startups or Giants? 12:00 – Consumers vs. Regulators: What Sparks Reform? 14:00 – Blockchain & The Future of Supply Chain Tracking 15:00 – Ryan's Journey into Social Entrepreneurship 18:00 – Family Legacy & Ethical Business Foundations 24:00 – Is Ethical Living a Privilege or a Choice? 26:00 – Grandfather Wisdom: Helping the Helpers 30:00 – Giraffes, Accountability & Courage in Business 31:00 – Wealth, Responsibility & Raising Grounded Kids 37:00 – Teaching Grit Through Friction & Curiosity 40:00 – Final Thoughts: Aligning Impact with Action Links Interplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterBook: Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You ThinkMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    30 min

  7. 05/22/2025

    David vs. Goliath: Winning When You're the Underdog

    This week’s episode explores one of the most pressing challenges early-stage startups face: competing against well-funded incumbents. We cover how startups can beat giants by focusing on niche markets, iterating fast, building emotional brands, and providing world-class customer experiences. This is the ultimate guide for founders navigating a David vs. Goliath scenario. Whether you’re bootstrapping or just closed your seed round, these tactics will give you the edge. A friendly heads up - this episode is our season closer before we take a pod break for the summer. Thanks for listening and enjoy your summer - we’ll be back from a new studio, recharged and ready to roll. ⏱️ Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro and Summer Break Announcement 01:00 – Why Competing with Big Players is Tough But Doable 02:30 – Foundational Assumptions Before Competing 04:00 – Strategy #1: Own Your Niche 06:00 – Strategy #2: Move Fast and Iterate Faster 08:30 – Strategy #3: Build a Brand People Want to Root For 10:00 – Emotional Branding Examples: Slack, Duolingo, Superhuman 12:00 – Strategy #4: Win on Customer Experience 13:30 – Recap of the Underdog Playbook 14:00 – Final Thoughts and Farewell Until After Summer Links Interplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterBook: The Fundraising RulesMPD: LinkedIn, Twitter

    15 min

  8. 05/08/2025

    Scaling Smart: Unlocking Startup Growth with Outsourcing

    Outsourcing isn't new — but the way startups can use it today has radically changed. On this week’s ep, I sat down with Shaun Walker, CEO of Spoke, to unpack what business process outsourcing (BPO) can look like for high-growth startups in 2025. Let me say this upfront: most early - stage founders are missing out. Outsourcing isn’t just about slashing costs - it’s about building operational leverage and unlocking global talent pools in a way that accelerates your entire business. Spoke’s model stands out because it focuses on fully embedded, dedicated teams that feel like extensions of your startup - they're engaged team members motivated to help you hit your milestones. Whether it’s customer support, finance, data operations, or even engineering, there’s a strategic opportunity here. Especially in today’s hybrid and AI-enhanced world, Shaun argues that outsourcing can be a “bionic” function — letting you scale up or down with flexibility, access talent faster, and focus your internal team on what truly matters. If you're a founder thinking about how to stretch your funding and build operational leverage, this is a must-listen. Hope it helps you navigate your own growth journey. 🕒 Chapter Markers 00:00 – Intro & Welcome 01:10 – What Spoke Does Differently in BPO 03:00 – Human-Centric Approach to Outsourcing 05:00 – Why Not Hire Offshore Directly? 07:00 – Building Embedded Global Teams 08:00 – Why Founders Miss BPO Opportunities 10:00 – When to Consider Outsourcing 12:00 – How Spoke Supports Startups 14:00 – The Cost vs. Strategic Advantage Debate 17:00 – Global Talent Quality and Motivation 19:00 – BPO as a Bionic Growth Function 21:00 – Helping Startups with U.S. Hiring Too 22:00 – High-Skill Roles & No Upper Limit 26:00 – AI’s Role in the Future of Outsourcing 28:00 – When Outsourcing Doesn’t Work 32:00 – Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up Shaun Walker: LinkedInSpoke: WebsiteInterplay: Website, LinkedIn, TwitterBook: The Fundraising Rules

    34 min
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Welcome to Innovation with Mark Peter Davis, a podcast dedicated to innovation, truth, and education. Through fireside chats with entrepreneurs, industry leading executives, and creative minded business folk, I'll highlight the society altering transformations that are happening all around us while providing crucial entrepreneurial advice. Pickup tips from founders who sold their company for hundreds of millions of dollars. Discover how everyday materials and goods are being reinvented by science. Learn about the current state of space exploration and the space industry from the CEO of a rocket company. Join him on this expedition to learn about the innovations that are changing our world and the way we exist. Don’t forget to subscribe and follow on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and Medium.

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